The David Beckham Academy, whose 2005 opening in Southern California pre-dated David Beckham's arrival to MLS by two years, closed late last year with no public announcement while its handful of full-time employees were quietly laid off. Nick Green reports that the closure was announced in an undated and unsigned memo to some company employees from Michael Roth, spokesman for Anschutz Entertainment Group, owner of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

"The David Beckham Academy will no longer operate its Los Angeles location," the memo said. "Planning is currently under way with David and senior coaches to develop a program and coaching model that will move beyond the limits of one location and ultimately impact more children in more cities across the United States and worldwide."

The academy was a victim of the worsening economy, sources said, although those involved denied the venture suffered significant financial losses. "As a private company we don't discuss finances in this way," Roth said. "However, it was not in the millions of dollars." The closing of the Carson academy followed the closure of a similar academy in London, which was also jointly owned and managed by AEG and 19 Entertainment, Beckham's London-based management company.